This invention relates to a construction apparatus useful as a toy, amusement device, or for making models of the type having a plurality of components which can be connected together by connectors.
A number of construction apparatuses have been developed in the past which include a plurality of plane figures, typically having three, four or five sides, and connectors for connecting the plane figures together to form three dimensional shapes. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,120,078 to Bessinger; 2,776,521 to Zimmerman; 3,597,858 to Ogsbury and 3,000,134 to Marini as well as British patent number 918,877 to Zander and German patent number 617,011 to Fay.
In Zimmerman and Zander the plane figures are formed by perimeter members surrounding a substantially open central area. Zander discloses separate plates which are fitted to the perimeter members to fill the central area.
Each panel in Ogsbury is provided with beaded joint portions along each side edge thereof. The beaded joint portions are substantially in the shape of rods extending along the sides. Ogsbury employs elongated connectors which have sockets for receiving the beaded joint portions. Some of these connectors are substantially W-shaped in section. One advantage of using such connectors is that they permit adjacent panels to be aligned at different angles according to the particular three dimensional shape being made. This is shown in FIG. 9 of Ogsbury. However, the shapes of connectors disclosed by Ogsbury present difficulties in construction. Such connectors cannot be fitted between an existing structure and a new panel in some situations without disturbing the existing structure. In such situations Ogsbury does not allow the new panel to be placed in its final position and then place the various connectors where required between the new panel and existing structure.